Our company picnic and camp out took place last weekend and, as always, proved to be a fun opportunity to relax, and to appreciate the wonderful group we have here at Seven Cycles. Harrisville, NH, was the perfect destination with the leaves already a brilliant red and the air cool and crisp.
Some rode their bikes from Boston the morning of, including two who pedaled up on a beautiful road route complete with climbs, views, and a heavy duty collision with a chicken. Another two chose an off road path, and over the course of a hundred miles never touched pavement outside of an occasional street crossing.
Others met in Harrisville and rode a mixed terrain loop, where it was learned that in New Hampshire, a rail trail is very much a trail next to rails, yielding a Stand By Me vibe for a portion of the ride.
A few took advantage of the local single track and couldn’t resist the fun of using the cable ferries to cross the Nubanusit Brook midway through the ride.
No matter the route, the ride reports were the same, all smiles.
When the wheeled fun began to die down, people made their way to the host site. Homemade chili, Pete’s mastery of the grill, and award winning brownies from Mayfair Farm were on hand and available throughout the afternoon and well into the evening. There was music and laughter, and before long, two glowing fire pits. We had planned for cold, but the fires were powerful enough to keep us warm long into the night, so long as we kept our feet close to the heat.
Tents popped up, or in some cases, were assembled by a team of five utilizing duct tape, splints, and a five year old’s knife. Cobbler was introduced to much fanfare. Before long everyone was around the fire cracking jokes, sharing stories, and genuinely enjoying each other’s humor and company.
As the hours passed, people drifted off and headed for their tents, the wood-stove warmed barn, or the house. A few dedicated fire goers stayed up past midnight, with only the most uproarious laughter carrying through the tent walls of those who wished they had the will power to stay up long enough to have heard the punchline.
Crickets, frogs, and birds filled the morning airwaves, and as soon as people began to rustle, coffee was made. No alarms were set, but people woke up early anyhow. Awaiting them, a most picturesque, mist covered swamp.
It wasn’t intentional, or even needed, but sitting around a camp fire and camping out is a fun way to make a big group of co-workers feel like one big family. We’d be seeing everyone the very next day at the factory, but it was still hard to say goodbye after such a fun weekend.
